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SECOND, DAN 
Our train arrived at the Pest Station somewhere between 
five and six o’clock in the morning, and we at once left 
the carriage and drove through the town to the quay. It 
was a beautiful warm April morning, and the sun was gilding 
with its brightest beams the old castle of Ofen and the 
venerable Bloxberg, with their sloping gardens and grey 
walls of fortification running down in all directions. The 
fair Danube, as the Hungarian in his national songs so 
rightly calls it, flowed silent and majestic under the splendid 
suspension-bridge ; and the flourishing, busy, commercial 
city of Pest formed a striking contrast to all the hoary and 
historic rocks, walls, and buildings of the Ofen side, while 
the Pest quay, with its lively bustle and many boats, 
some crossing over and others lying quietly by the bank, 
gave the whole scene that bright cheerful look which makes 
it always a pleasure to revisit this beautiful town. 
Our steamer lay at anchor just below the great suspension- 
bridge, and we were much pleased with its general outward 
appearance, for it was a fine stately craft. 
The Danube Steam Navigation Company had very oblig- 
ingly placed at our disposal this vessel, which bears my 
name, and is said to be the fastest of all their boats. Its 
interior arrangements were also excellent, and the way in 
which the space was apportioned left nothing to be desired. 
A large dining-room, in which a writing-table was placed, 
and a little smoking-room near it, which we used for storing 
our bird-skins, together with the whole of the lower deck, 
formed our * Casino,’ while some small cabins near the 
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